Boat construction



Sept. 11, 1962 D. D. BEACH BOAT CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 21. 1961 a y. RM mu m me m. ,r A D w WM D5 w Sept. 11, 1962 D. D. BEACH 3,052,896

BOAT CONSTRUCTION Filed June 21, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 54 wa D. B546# BY 6M rn@ FIL-5: E

United States Patent 3,052,896 BOAT CONSTRUCTION David D. Beach, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Mc- Culloch Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed June 21, 1961, Ser. No. 118,737 2 Claims. (Cl. 9-1) This invention relates generally to the construction of boats specifically of the relatively small runabout class such as might be used to tow water skiers.

Conventional runabout boats of the type here concerned are generally provided with an upwardly opening cockpit or passenger compartment immediately forward of which is disposed a bow compartment which is covered by a deck section. It is further conventional to provide a windshield to extend crosswise of the boat in the area of the juncture of the deck section and cockpit. With this arrangement it is extremely difficult for passengers to mount or dismount from the boat over the bow portion thereof, the windshield obstructing the path of travel.

lt is highly desirable that a boat of this type provide for convenient ingress to or egress from the passenger cockpit over the bow of the boat. For example, when there is no or only limited dockage available, the bow of the boat can be used for entering or leaving the cockpit directly from shore or a small dock area. It is also desirable to provide a means for swimmers entering the boat over the bow thereof directly from the water.

Accordingly the primary object of the present invention is to provide a boat having a cockpit and a forward bow deck with an improved means for entering or leaving the cockpit over the bow of the boat.

Another and more specific `object of the invention is to provide a runabout type boat with a rear cockpit and a windshield bow deck and ladder forward of the cockpit which are convertible between a first condition for boat operation and a second condition for vfacilitating passenger ingress to and egress from the cockpit over the bow of the boat.

With these objects in mind the invention broadly comprises a boat having a rear cockpit, a forward bow compartment covered by a bow deck, the bow compartment connecting with the cockpit, the deck having a hatch opening connecting with the cockpit and a hinged door section movable between closed and open positions over the opening, a windshield extending across the boat adjacent the juncture of the cockpit and bow deck, said windshield pivoted for swinging movement to an out-ofthe-way position allowing passenger passage from the cockpit into the bow compartment, an elevated step in the bow compartment, and a ladder swingably connected to the deck for swinging -movement between a stored position within the compartment and a usable position suspended from the bow ofthe boat.

The above mentioned and additional objects of the invention will be brought to light during the course of the following specification, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which- FIG. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through a hull of a boat embodying the improved construction and showing the windshield, hatch doors, and mounting ladder in positions for normal operation of the boat through the water.

FIG. 2 is a sectional View similar to FIG. 1 through a forward major portion ofthe boat but showing the windshield, hatch doors and ladder in positions for passenger ingress to or egress from the passenger cockpit over the bow and under the windshield.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the boat in the same condition as shown in FIG. 2.

Referring now more particularly to 'the drawings referice ence characters will be used to denote like parts or structural features in the different views. 'Ihe boat is designated generally by the numeral 10. It comprises a conventional shaped hull 11 having a forward bow portion 12, a rear transom 14 and a ltop deck 15 surrounding a cockpit or passenger compartment 16 within the boat. To distinguish from the deck 15 in Igeneral the portion thereof extending over the ibow portion 12 of the hull is referred to as the bow deck and numbered 17. The boat is provided with a at oor 18 spaced above the hull bottom. A partition is disposed transversely across the bow portion vof the boat extending upwardly as at 19 from the floor 18, then forwardly as at 20 to form a step, then upwardly as at 21 to the bow deck 17. Portion 21 has an opening 22 therein, the purpose of which will be later described. At the stern end, the boat is provided with a built-in housing 24 for shielding an outboard motor (not shown) mounted on transom 14.

The boat is also provided with seats 25 and 26 in the passenger compartment 16 which are spaced apart transversely of the boat leaving a passageway 27 (FIG. 3) extending fore and aft therebetween. The steering wheel for the boat is disposed at one side of the center in front of a seat 25.

The bow deck has a central hatch opening 28 therein which extends rearwardly to connect directly with the passenger compartment 16. This hatch is normally closed by a pair of side by side doors 29 which have their outer edges hinged on parallel axes to the bow deck 17 for swinging movement between an inward position jointly closing the hatch and an outer open position, as shown in FIG. 3 with the doors resting on the deck. These doors may have their inner sides padded to serve as secondary seats when they are open.

The area within the bow portion of the boat and covered by deck 17 and doors 29 is herein referred to as a bow compartment and designated by the numeral 30.

This compartment, of course, opens rearwardly directly into the cockpit 16, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

A ladder assembly designated generally at 31 is mounted on the boat for movement between the positions shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. This assembly, more fully described in my copending application Serial No. 45,047, iiled July 25, 1960, comprises a U-shaped support frame 32 with an odset bight portion 34 journaled in a bearing tube 35 mounted transversely on wall 21, a ladder section 36 having steps 37 mounted between side rails 38 and pivoted by cross rod 39 to the extended end of frame 32, and a U-shaped prop member 40 having its legs pivoted to the side rails at 41 and its bight portion 42 contoured to t against the bow of the boat. Rest members 44 are mounted on the legs of the frame 32 for downward engagement with the deck 17. The ladder assembly is normally carried in the compartment 30 with the lower end of the ladder section 36 projecting forwardly through the opening 22.

A curved Windshield 46 is mounted to extend transversely across the rear portion of the bow deck 1'7. This windshield tapers toward each side end and the ends curve rearwardly and are coaxially pivoted on brackets 47 mounted on the deck 15 at each side of the front portion of the passenger compartment 16. The pivots are effected by hand operated clamp screws 48 which pass through the corners of the windshield and are threaded into the brackets 47 to secure the windshield in any adjusted position about the axis of the screws. An arched frame 49 having -its ends xed to the brackets 47 extends over the windshield to lie immediately over the upper edge of the windshield when it is in its forward posias in FIG. 1. This frame is primarily for connection with the front end of a convertible top (not shown) for the cockpit.

FIG. 1 shows 'the boat in its normal operating condition with the ladder` assembly 31 folded and stored within the bow compartment 30. The hatch doors 29 are closed over the compartment and the windshield 46 is in its forward position over the doors 29. The bow compartment is in open communication with the cockpit 16 under the windshield.

When it -is desired'to provide -for convenient ingress to or egress from the cockpit over the bow of the boat it is converted to the condition shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In other words, the windshield 46 is tilted upwardly and tightened in a fully raised position and doors 29 are then opened outwardly against the bow deck. Finally, the ladder assembly is swung outwardly about its pivot axes at 35 and 39 until the ladder section 36 depends from the bow of the boat land prop section 40 rests thereagainst. n

It will now be apparent that a passenger may now conveniently enter the cockpit 16 from the front of the boat by climbing the ladder 16, stepping on the bow deck 17, and step 20 and then walk under the windshield and along passageway 27. In leaving the cockpit the path of travel is reversed and, of course, the above mentioned steps are reversed to again place the boat in operating condition.

The construction accordingly affords the passengers a walk through and over passageway in entering or leaving the cockpit o f a runabout or launch type boat. It is understood lthat suitable modifications may be made in the structure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within the Yspirit and scope of the appended claims. Having now therefore fully illustrated and described my in-l vention, what I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters YPatent is:

1. In a vlboat having a cockpit and a bow compartment located forward of the cockpit and in open communication therewith and with a bow deck covering the bow compartment, the bow deck having a transversely centered hatch opening connecting with the cockpit, a pair of doors hinged to the bow deck at opposite sides of the hatch opening on fore and aft axes for movement between closed positions jointly covering the opening and open positions at the sides of the opening, a ladder, a frame hinging said ladder to the boat on a transverse axis and transversely centered in the bow compartment for 'forward swinging movement of the ladder outwardly through said opening to a position depending from ythe bow of the boat, and a windshield extending transversely across the rear portion of the bow deck and having its side ends directed rearwardly `and pivoted to the boat on a common axis for raising the windshield rearwardly and upwardly about said common axis so that when the doors are opened and the ladder is vforward and the windshield is raised there is a clear path for passenger travel between the cockpit and the ladder.

2. In a boat having a cockpit and -a bow compartment located forward of the cockpit and in open communication therewith and with a bow deck covering the bow compartment, the bow ldeck having a transversely centered hatch opening connecting with the cockpit, closure means movable between hatch opening and closing positions, a ladder connected to the boat by a support frame for swingingmovement through the hatch opening between a stored position within the bow compartment and a use position depending lfrom the bow of the boat, and a windshield extending transversely of the boat across the rear portion of the Abow deck and having its side end portions curved rearwardly and pivoted to ythe boat on a common axis for raising :the windshield upwardly and rearwardly to bring the central portion thereof disposed rearwardly of the hatch opening to an elevation substantially higher than the Vhatch opening allowing direct passenger access from the cockpit under the windshield and through the hatch opening to the Vladder when the closure means is open and the windshield is raised.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS v 255,788 Howell Apr. 4, 1882 2,187,633 Smith Jan. 16, 1940 2,836,140 Hunt May 27, 1958 OTHER REFERENCES Rudder, February 1960, page 15.

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